Tippy Toes
by Nightjar
Summary: Pasco's sixteenth year, as it goes from good to better. [PascoEvvy]


Miss Moony would like to say that she doesn't own the _Circle of Magic_, and that she had no help with this story from Miss Wormtail, Miss Padfoot or Miss Prongs.

Evvy/Pasco galore!

------- I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good -------

**Tippy-Toes**

Wolf Moon brought a chill to Pasco's bones. He spent the month trying and failing to dance circles around his teachers and more-or-less succeeding with most of his family. Lady Sandry introduced him to Dedicate Lark, who fussed over him like he sometimes wished his mother would, and who kept her cottage snug and cozy to ward away the cold.

Near the middle of Storm Moon, he began dancing for fish again. Osa's family had the biggest yield of anyone that month, and Pasco was paid five silver crescents a week. Vani scoffed at him, but even that couldn't bring the smile off Pasco's face.

For Pasco, with the beginning of Carp Moon came the dawn of a new fascination-bordering-on-obsession. Evvy Dingzai was Lady Sandry's brother's student, who came back with him from Chammur, and Pasco sometimes thought that she – with her disordered black hair and bronze skin and dark, dark eyes – was the most beautiful girl in all Emelan. He had only to look at Lady Sandry to know he was wrong.

He spent Sunborn racing through the empty streets of Summersea market after Evvy, and when he caught her, he started a tickling war: Evvy's weak spots were her stomach and her armpits, and when she laughed, the skies seemed to light up.

By Seed Moon, the sun was starting to shine brightly in the afternoon sky, turning the marketplace into a constant stream of sweltering bodies. Pasco slipped through them unnoticed, running errands for his mother and his teachers. Sometimes, Lady Sandry would give him an afternoon off, and he'd take the chance to run to the fields on the outskirts of the city: a few times, he ran into Evvy and Master Moss there, helping in the fields when her lessons had finished.

In Goose Moon, Evvy started coming down to the Citadel to visit Pasco, and he greeted her with much enthusiasm. She told him about growing up on the streets, and how her parents sold her into slavery. In return, he told her about his cousins bullying him, about being called tippy-toes every five minutes.

On Wild Night, Vani celebrated his twenty-first birthday with a large, loud party. Pasco was given permission to attend, so long as he didn't expect anyone else to help him find a date. No one ever expected him to turn up, least of all with Evvy in tow, and they both blushed furiously when they realised that Pasco was the only one there who'd bothered to bring a date.

Rose Moon brought the prevailing winds, and the return of Daja Kisubo and Dedicate Frostpine from Namorn. Evvy stopped spending her free days in the fields, and came to visit Pasco at Yazmin's shop instead. She said that she didn't fit in any more, with so many fully qualified mages around, and Pasco understood the feeling perfectly.

Midsummer morning was spent together, just the two of them, before Evvy had to rush off to help Master Briar and Lady Sandry to prepare Dedicate Rosethorn's birthday cake, however much the older mage insisted that she didn't need one. It was, perhaps, one of the best mornings of Pasco's entire life.

In Mead Moon, Pasco began taking his free days to walk up to Discipline cottage. He usually found Evvy in the garden with her rock alphabet, lovingly putting each stone away in its pocket. When she spotted him, she would greet him with a smile and a wave, and some days she would venture down to the Hub kitchens with him, or take him up on top of Winding Circle's walls.

By Wort Moon, Pasco had forgotten the sweet allure of Lady Sandry's smile, his head filled with the sound of Evvy's bright laughter. During the long, lazy evenings, he taught her to dance, and by the end of the month, she spun in graceful circles in his arms.

With Barley Moon, came Mistress Trisana and Master Goldeye's return from the great city of Tharios on the Ithocot Sea. With them came another mage called Keth, and a little girl called Glaki. Evvy found one of her callings in siblinghood, and Pasco found that he was hardly able to spend even a moment alone with her any more, due to her little black shadow.

On Coldborn, Evvy managed to escape, and he took her down to the festival in Summersea. Some of Yazmin's other students were putting on a show, and they'd been practicing nothing else for the last few weeks. Evvy ooh-ed and aah-ed in all the appropriate places, and afterwards, they walked back to Discipline and stopped on the way in a field, where they danced together to imaginary music until their feet hurt.

All through Blood Moon, Pasco's childish fears manifested themselves through regular nightmares. He found himself far too tired to make the daily walk from Summersea to Winding Circle, and so Evvy started coming down to the Citadel again. They would spend their evenings together, huddled by the fireplace, with Master Briar, Mistress' Daja and Trisana, Lady Sandry, Keth and Glaki, warding away the frozen nights.

On Dead's Night, Evvy came for a two-person sleepover. They giggled over supposed-to-be-scary stories until well into the morning, and when sleep finally beckoned, they ended up huddled together on Pasco's bed, Evvy's floor-mat left deserted.

In Snow Moon, Evvy and Master Briar moved out of Discipline, having been invited by Lady Sandry and the Duke to live in the Citadel, even though Mistress' Daja and Trisana had chosen to stay behind. Pasco was glad of the constant company, and he made her aware of it. At mealtimes, they sat together and talked about anything that crossed their minds, and sometimes at night, Evvy crawled into his bed. Pasco was glad of the extra warmth too, and that was the only reason he let her carry on that she was aware of.

Hearth Moon was spent in a flurry of preparations. Pasco was finally allowed to dance in Yazmin's winter display, and Evvy promised that she'd come and cheer him on. They spent most of their free time in the market, using what little money they'd managed to save over the last few weeks to buy midwinter gifts for their friends and families. Pasco's mind went over and over the same few images of Evvy all dressed up in thick, padded clothes made for her by Lady Sandry, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright and dancing faster than he'd ever taught her to.

On Longnight, Pasco brought Evvy to spend the evening with his family, wrapped up warm and seated in front of the fireplace. He showed her his old bedroom, and the training yard and the garden, and when they were alone, he surprised himself by kissing her, but she seemed to have anticipated him. Her mouth was warm and solid against his own, and afterwards she jokingly called him Tippy-Toes, but he didn't really mind.


End file.
